Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare Announces Development of New Operating Room and ICU Expansion

May 23, 2013

Since arriving at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare nearly ten years ago, Mark O’Bryant focused on improving the quality and financial stability of the area’s largest healthcare system. Many improvements happened quickly. But, he knew that one needed advancement would take many years to realize because TMH was not in a financial position to fund the project.

“It took nearly ten years of steady financial performance, and a strict adherence to three successive strategic plans, for TMH to be able to fund, what we believe will be one of the largest construction projects in the history of Leon County,” said Mark. “I am proud of our colleagues for their efforts at bringing us to a point where we are in a position to move financially forward on a project that will have a lasting impact on our community.”

Wednesday night, the Board of Directors of Tallahassee Memorial approved a conceptual design of that project, an approximately 290,000 square foot Surgery and Adult ICU expansion to be located on the south side of our existing campus on the corner of Miccosukee Road and Medical Drive. The approximate cost of the project today stands at approximately $170 million.

“While our current surgical areas remain functional, they sit inside a building constructed many years ago,” said Mark. “Our vision is to develop a structure that will facilitate the surgical suites of the future, taking into account space required for changing technologies that we anticipate will be incorporated into the surgical process. This building will also be designed to grow with our community, providing a state-of-the-art platform for the next 50 years. As such, the building will include space that will allow for expansion without significant disruption to existing services.”

The facility will connect to the current acute care building near the Bixler Emergency Center and will focus on patient centered improvements such as a convenient patient drop-off, improved way-finding, and easy access to the entire campus. No new parking areas will be constructed since the building will make use of parking spaces that are underutilized.

The adult intensive care units will be relocated to this expansion with an initial build out of 48 ICU rooms, and shell space for an additional 24 rooms. Architects will design the space to minimize travel distance from ICU to Medical-Surgical areas.

Upon Board approval of the conceptual drawings, next steps will include securing bond financing for the project before moving to detailed architectural and engineering design. Certain departments will be relocated to other areas. Those departments include: TMH University, Human Resources, Infection Control, Occupational Health, Project Management, and Laundry. Decisions on where these departments will relocate will be announced after the architects and engineers further develop the project.